Surgical headrest



Aprii 23, 1946. s. R. JONES SURGICAL HEAD REST Filed Oct. 19, 1942 I I inventor; $444051 1?. JO/YES,

Patented Apr. 23, 1946 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURGICAL HEADRES-T Samuel R. Jones, LosAngeleaCalif. Application October 19, 1942. Serial No. 462584 aolaims. (01.12.8-1)

My invention relates in general to hospital equipment, and relates in particular to an adjustable rest for supporting the human head during operative procedure-or superficial treatment.

It is an object of the invention to provide a head rest having cushioned portions to receive the frontal and anterolateral-portionsof the face of a person in supine position, whereby the =parietal, occipital, and posterior temporal portions of the head will be supported in exposed-position.

It is al'so an object of the invention to provide a surgical head rest'of the character described in the foregoing paragraph in whichthe rests for engagement with the headare readily adjustable in spatial arrangement.

It is a further object to provide a surgical head rest wherein .the head supporting parts of the rest are angularl'y adjustable so as to be tiltable in forward-rearward direction, and also lateral-1y, with means for rigidly supporting the parts in tilted adjustment. I

Afurther object of the invention is-to provide a surgical head rest wherein the head supporting parts are vertically adjustable.

Although the invention iso'f especial utility for supporting the head 'in face downward position, its parts may be readily adjusted-so as to support the occipital-parietal portions of the head, with-the face exposed. Also, it is a feature of the invention to provide the head rest device with means for receiving binding members whereby the head may be stabilized so as to prohibit movement thereof during an operation.

Further objects and advantages of the inven- I tion will be brought out in the following partof the specification.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of my invention showing the manner of its use.

Fig. 2 is a partly sectioned plan view of the head rest shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2, this view showing the head supporting parts of the head rest in laterally sloping position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken on a plane represented by the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The head rest comprises a base In and a cushioned rest II. The base It consists of a tube l2 bent to U-shape form, and a pair of posts I3 extending upward from the intermediate portions of the side parts or legs M of the U-shape base I0. The tube 12 has means to support the same in raised relation with respect to a supporting surface l5, these means preferably consisting of rubber rings l6 surrounding the tube l2 in spaced positions.

In the center-of the rounded portion of the base ii) there is anupwarclly projecting perforated lug I1 to receive a screw E8. The vertical posts l3 are tubular, and near the upper ends thereof are provided with drilled and threadedbodies 19 to receive screws 26 forengagement with openin s 2| in vertically arranged tubular bars 22 which are slidable in the post 13.

The rest ll comprises a U-shaped member 23 having-substantiallysymmetrical parts 24 articulated on a substantially vertical hinge axis 25 formed by a hinge 26 which is secured to the adjacent ends of the symmetrical parts '24. As shown inFig. 2-,-the side parts 24' are continuously curved, the extremities 21 thereof being of lesser curvature than the portions adjacent the hinge 26. Theside members 24 of the rest are cushioned, this being accomplished preferably by surrounding the same with walls 28 of sponge rubber which may'becovered with'fabri ifl.

Levers 29' are extended rearward from the hinge portions of the side members 24 as shown in Fig. 2, and means '30 are provided to move the extremities of these levers 29 together or apart so as to swing the member '24- on the hinge axis 25 so as to change the spatial relation of the side portions of the rest H in accordance with the size of the face orcrani-al part of the head which is to be supported thereon. The levers 29 comprise short sections of metal tubing brazed or welded to the parts 24. S'crews'3'l extend vertically through the outer portions of these levers, and engage eyes 33 on the ends of screws 34 of a turn buckle mechanism 35 comprising the adjusting means operative between the extremities of the levers 29.

In a vertical transverse plane defined by the posts l3, inner legs 30 project downward from the medial portions of the metal members 24.

- These members 30 are tangential to circles lying within and smaller than the circles defined by the cross sectional areas of the sponge rubber walls 28, as shown in Fig. 3. Therefore, no portion of the head of a patient supported by the rest II will engage the metal parts 30'. Spaced from these legs 30 there are outer legs 3|, and each pair of legs comprising a leg 30' and a leg 3| supporting a transverse bar 32. These bars 32 extend through vertically elongated slots 33' in the upper ends of the tubes 22, and are slidable in these slots 33 as the adjustment means 30 is actuated to move the side members 24 together or apart, or as the rest H is tilted at an angle, as shown in Fig. 3. The legs 30' and 3| are formed from a continuous piece of flat metal bent to approximately U -shaped form.

The invention also provides means for tilting the head rest I! relatively to a longitudinal axis or a lateral axis, or both. This means comprises a pair of turn buckles 34', the lower ends 35' of, which are connected by the screw I 8 to the lug l1, and the upper ends 36 of which are respectively connected by straps 31 and screws 38 to the rearward projections or levers 29. When the turn buckles 34' are simultaneously operated in a like manner, the far end of the rest II will be raised or lowered by rotation of the rest on the axis defined by the transverse pins 32. When the turn buckles 34 are operated in an unlike manner, so that the effective length of one will be greater than the eifective length of the other, as shown inFig. 3, the rest H will be tilted laterally. The post extensions or bars 22 will be raised and lowered in accordance with the adjustment of the rest I I.

The invention also provides means to lock the rest against lateral movement, such means comprising, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a bar 39 secured at 40 within one of the tubular members 22, this bar 39 extending adjacent a side of a cross pin 32 so as to be clampable against this member 32 by a screw 4|. When this locking means is actuated by tightening down the screw 4 I, the transverse bar 32 is prevented from sliding back and forth through the slot 33 receiving the bar 32.

It is possible to adjust the rest I l to a considerably greater angle to horizontal than shown in Fig. 3. Also, the patients head may be immobilized relatively to the rest by use of long bands or strips which are passed under the side portions or legs of the base l and carried across a portion of the patients head, with suflicient tension to maintain the head tightly in contact with the rest H; when the patient is in facedown position, the nose and month are both exposed, making it possible to administer an anesthetic. Also, the head is held in raised position so as to provide space for a receptacle.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a head rest of the character described, the combination of: a base comprising a U- shaped member having forwardly extending legs and vertically extensible posts extending upwardly from the intermediat portions of said legs; a rest hingedly supported at the upper ends of said posts so as to swing on a lateral axis, said rest comprising a pair of side members joined by a hinge at their rear ends and having lateral swinging movement, there being lever members extending rearward from the rear portions of said side members; screw means connecting said lever members so as to swing said lever members on said hinge; and adjustment means connecting th rear portion of said base with said lever members, operative to swing said rest on'said lateralaxis. H i 5 2.Inja head rest of the'char'ac'tendescribed, the combination of: a base comprising a U- shaped member having forwardly extending legs and vertically extensible posts extending upwardly from the intermediate portions of said legs; a rest laterally slidable and hingedly supported at the upper ends of said posts so as to swing on alateral axis, said rest comprising a pair of side members joined by a hinge at their rear ends and having lateral swinging movement, there being lever members extending rearward from the rear portions of said side members; screw means connecting said lever members so as to swing said lever members on said hinge; adjustment means connecting the rear portion of said base with said lever members, operative to swing said rest on said lateral axis; and means for locking at least one of said posts to a side member of said rest.

3. In a head rest of the character described, the combination of: a base comprising a U- shapedvmember having forwardly extending legs and vertically extensible posts extending upwardly from the intermediate portions of said legs,

said posts having laterally extending openings at the upper ends thereof defining a, lateral axis; a rest hingedly supported at the upper ends of said posts, said rest comprising a pair of side members joined by a hinge at their rear ends and having lateral swinging movement, there being lever members extending rearward from the rear portions of said side members, and there being means intermediate the ends of said side members supporting bars in positions extending through said openings at the upper ends of said posts and so as to slide a limited distance along said lateral axis; screw means connecting said lever members so as to swing said lever members on said hinge; adjustment means connecting the rear portion of said base with said lever members, operative to swing said rest on said lateral axis; and means carried by at least one of said posts to engage at least one of said side bars so as to prevent it from sliding along said lateral axis.

SAMUEL R. JONES. 

